ROANOKE TIMES
Copyright (c) 1997, Roanoke Times
DATE: Wednesday, April 9, 1997 TAG: 9704090066
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: DANIEL UTHMAN THE ROANOKE TIMES
One bad inning sends Salem to its fifth consecutive loss to open the Carolina League baseball season.
Tuesday night offered numerous examples of why things can't get much worse for the Salem Avalanche.
Salem remained winless with an 8-2 loss to the Wilmington Blue Rocks that went sour immediately after it went sweet.
For the fourth consecutive game, the Avalanche gave up two runs in the first two innings. It wasn't as if the ball was being knocked all over the park, however. Salem had just as many hits after two innings as the Blue Rocks, yet trailed 2-0.
Wilmington (3-2) added another run in the fourth (again, off one hit), but Salem showed promise in the fifth. Designated hitter Rod Bair led off with a shot to right field and moved to third on Elvis Pena's double. Garrett Neubart drove them both home with a single to right to bring the Avalanche (0-5) within one run, 3-2.
``The next inning, we gave it right back,'' said Bill ``Moose'' McGuire, Salem's manager.
Wilmington left fielder Juan Rocha led off the sixth and reached base as his slow grounder squirmed through shortstop Link Jarrett's legs. Nine batters and three pop-ups later, the Blue Rocks had a 7-2 lead. Lloyd Peever pitched the whole inning in relief of Salem starter Steve Shoemaker (0-1), but only one of the four runs that scored was earned.
``One inning cost us,'' McGuire said. ``Right after we scored two runs, we make a couple mistakes and they have a couple well-placed base hits. That's what I call a deflater.''
The first run scored on a shallow bloop single by catcher Matt Treanor, the next came across on a pop fly to left by center fielder Ben Bronson, Emiliano Escandon scored on an error and Treanor came home as Donovan Delaney lofted a soft pop-up that landed just beyond Pena's reach in right field.
``We didn't do much, actually,'' said John Mizerock, the Blue Rocks' manager. ``We started just blooping them in there. We didn't hit the ball hard all inning.''
Manuel Bernal and Michael Robbins pitched the rest of the game for Wilmington and didn't let the Avalanche hit the ball hard again.
``Everything happened in that one inning,'' said Salem right fielder Chad Gambill. ``Nothing is going our way.''
EXTRA BASES: Avalanche designated hitter Jamie Taylor sat out his first game of the season, but he didn't stay out of the action. Taylor coached at first base in the fourth inning. ... Neubart has hit safely in each game this season. NOTE: please see microfilm for scores.
LENGTH: Medium: 56 linesby CNB